Concrete-block machine



May 15', 1923.

1,455,296 F. S. LINDLEY CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Filed Sent. 22. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /5 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY F. S. LINDLEY CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE May 15, 1923. 1,4552% Filed Sent. 2. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented May 15, 1.1923.

FIFE? FRANCIS SCOTT LINDLEY, OF EAST BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA.

CONCRETE-BLOCK I'EACHINE.

Application filed September 22, 3.921. Serial No. 502,348.

I! '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS Scorr LIND- LnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Bakersfield, in the county of Kern and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Concrete-Block Machines, of which the following is a specification.

,My invention relates to a concrete block forming machine, the principal objects of my invention being to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing forms of building block forming machines to provide a machine of the character referred to that may be easily and cheaply produced, and which may be ad vantageously employed for rapidly and economically producing building blocks of cementitious material.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is vertical section taken through the. center of a building block forming machine of my improved construction.

2 is a top plan view of a portion of my improved machine.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the form of building block that is produced in my im proved. machine.

Fig. 4: is a vertical. section of the mold portion of the machine arranged to form a block of the type utilised in a wall for supporting joists.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 55 of Fig. l.

Fig; 6 is a perspective view of the form of block that is produced in the mold when the same is arranged as illustrated in Figs. 4. and 5. i

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken through the center of the mold when the same is arranged for producing corner blocks.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line,88 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the form of corner block that is produced when the mold structure is arranged as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. I

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates a block that formsthe base of the machine,

and positioned thereupon is a substantially rectangular plate 11 that forms the bottom of the mold, and positioned against the edges of said plate 11 are the lower ones of vertically disposed panel 12 that form the side walls of the mold. Hinged to the outer face of each panel 12 adjacent to its upper and lower ends are horizontally disposed rails 13 that are adapted toswing upwardly against the outer face of said panel, and hinged to the upper outer corners of the rails 13 are the lower inner corners of horizontally oisposed rails 14,-, and the ends of the latter being connected so as to form a substantially rectangular frame.

Inasmuch as there are two sets of rails 13 there are necessarily two of the rectangular frames, one arranged near the base of the mold, and the other near the top thereof, and connecting the intermediate portions of the rails forn'iing said frames and on opposite sides of the structure are vertically disposed rails Hinged to the central portion of each rail 14 of the lower rectangular frame is the lower end of a strut 16, the upper end thereof being adapted to engage beneath a block 1'? that is secured on the outer face and central portion of each panel 12, such construction being provided in order to hold the panels in position when ceinentitious material being poured thereinto.

Fixed on the upper face of plate 11 is a transversely disposed rib 18 having inclined side faces. and secured to the inner faces of an oppositely disposed pair of the panels 12 are vertically disposed ribs 19 having inclined side faces, and the lower ends of which are beveled so as to fit snugly against the beveled ends of rib 18 when the panels are properly assembler! to produce the mold.

When the apparatus. arranged as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is in use, cementitious blocks hav j the form, as illustrated in Fig. 5, are produced, each block being substantially rectangular in form and having grooves or channels extending lengthwise on an'oppositely disposed pair of its faces, and a groove or channel on one of its end faces, and which grooves or channels are formed by the ribs 18 and 19.

Where it is desired to form'a block of the type illustrated in Fig. 6 and which is adapted to be arranged in a wall for supporting joists or the like, a filter block, such as 20, is arranged against the inner face of one of the panels to the side of the rib 19 thereon, and as a result a block is produced that is devoid of one of the ribs to the side of one of the longitudinally disposed channels.

To form a block that is utilized at the corner of a wall or like structure, or a block of the type illustrated in Fig. 9, a bottom panel or plate 11 is utilized that is devoid of the transversely disposed rib 18 so that the mold takes the form as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. The resulting block is de void of the groove in its end face, and the longitudinally disposed grooves in the side faces terminate at short distances from the plain end face.

When the apparatus is set up for use, the panels 12 are assembled, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, with the rails 13 and the rec: tangular frames composed of the rails 1 1 occupying horizontal planes. The struts 16 are swung inwardly until their upper ends are positioned beneath the blocks 17, and thus the movable parts of the mold are firmly locked or retained in position while the cementitious material is being delivered into the mold cavity between the panels and while said material is becoming-set.

To open the mold, the struts 16 are swung outward into substantially vertical planes, after which the rectangular frames composed of the rails 14: are elevated slightly, thereby permitting the rails 13 to swing into substantially vertical planes beneath the inner portions of the rails 1 and consequently withdrawing the panels 16 from the side faces of the block of hardened cementitious material. The block thus formed is not removed from the base plate or panel 11, and the apparatus, after being properly reassembled, is ready for reuse.

In order to minimize the cost of production of building blocks with my iniiprovcd apparatus, it is desirable that a number of the structures be assembled in gang formation, and when such arrangement is carried out, suitable means may be provided for simultaneously elevating all of the rectangular frames that are utilized in retaining the panels in proper position,

Thus it will be seen. that I have produced a concrete block forming machine tnat is comparatively simple, capable of being easily and cheaply produced, and which may be advantageously employed in the rapid and economical production of building blocks that are composed of cement, concrete, or like cementitious material.

It will be understood that minor changes in size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved concrete block forming machine may be made and substituted v rails.

for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a concrete block forming machine, a plurality of panels adapted to be assembled to form a mold, rails hinged to said panels, vertically movable frames hinged to said rails, and locking means carried by one of said frames for engaging the panels to maintain the same in assembled relation,

2. In a concrete block forming machine, a plurality of panels adapted to be assembled to form a mold, rails hinged to said panels, vertically movable frames hinged to said rails, and ribs arranged on the inner faces of said panels.

3. In aconcrete block forming machine, a v plurality of panels adapted to be assembled to form a mold, rails hinged to said panels,vertically movable frames hinged to said rails, locking means carried by one of said frames for engaging the panels to maintain the same in assembled relation, and ribs arranged-on the inner faces of said panels.

l. In a concrete block machine, a base, a plate removably positioned thereupon, upright panels adapted to be arranged about said plate and to cooperate therewith in forming mold, horizontally disposed rails hinged to the outer faces of said panels, and vertically movable frames hinged to said 5. In a concrete block machine, a base, a plate removably positioned thereupon, upright panels adapted tobe arranged about said plate and to cooperate therewith in forming a mold, horizontally disposed rails hinged to the outer faces ofsaid panels, vertically movable frames hinged to said rails, and locking means adapted to be arranged between the lower one of the frames and said panels for retaining the latter in as sembled relation.

6. In a concrete block machine, a base, a plate removably positioned thereupon, uprigl'it panels adapted to be arranged about said plate and to co-operate therewith in forming a mold, horizontally disposed rails hinged to the outer faces of said panels, vertically movable frames hinged to said rails, locking means adapted to be arranged between the lower one of the frames andsaid panels for retaining the latter in assembled relation, and ribs arranged on the. inner faces of said panels. V

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANCIS scorr LINDLEY. 

